Camera diaphragm mechanism



Dec. 25, 1951 A, SCHWARZ 2,580,324

CAMERA DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM Original Filed April 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 25, 1951 A. scHwARz 2,580,324

CAMERA DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM Original Filed April 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Wea/Sway;

Dec. 25, 1951 A. SCHWARZ 2,580,324

CAMERA DI'APHRAGM MECHANISM Original Filed April 28, 1945` 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y, i fw lef .L

IN V EN TOR @rang-a2? Dec. 25, 1951 A. scHwARz CAMERA DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM i 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 original Filed April 28. 17945 @fre INVENTOR. o/Scafar? Dec. 25, 1951 A. scHwARz CAMERA DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed April 28, 1945 Patented Dec. 25, 1951 CAMERA DIAPHRAGM MECHANISM Alfred Schwarz, Rochester, N. Y.,assignor to Ilex Optical Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York .Original application April I28, 1945, Serial No. 590,770. Divided and this application April 15, `1946, Serial No. 662,344

l7 Claims. 1

This invention relates vto camera .diaphragm mechanism and more particularly to means for opening and closing the diaphragm to permit focusing adjustment of the camera. The ordinary camera may be prepared for focusing by setting the shutter for Time operation and opening the diaphragm by means movable for adjusting the diaphragm aperture, which, however, has involved a multiplicity of manipulations and resetting adjustments, some of which are apt to be forgotten with resulting failure in exposure. It has been proposed to partially remedy these diiculties by providing spring means for operating the diaphragm, so connected with the shutter mechanism as to automatically reset the diaphragm on resetting the shutter after focusing. But such constructions have continued to require a number of operations, some of which may be forgotten, and which are difficult to accomplish with the lingers of one hand While steadying the camera with the other.

Full opening of the diaphragm is very desirable because of the difficulty of focusing a dark image on the ground glass. The movement of conventional diaphragm has a considerable amplitude, 1in order to provide for such full opening, yas well as for adjustment to a small aperture. Where such focusing movement is spring actuated, the amplitude of movement requires a spring of considerable strength which involves, in turn, the provision of considerable space for its movements in the shutter casing Where space is strictly limited by the lrequirements of other parts of the mechanism.

One object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an improved diaphragm of a more simple and convenient construction and mode of operation. as well as one requiring a minimum of space in the shutter casing.

Another object is to provide such a diaphragm mechanism capable of being set to a predetermined aperture and thereafter fully opened to permit focusing and closed again to said aperture Without requiring the resetting of the aperture by the photographer.

VAnother object is to Yprovide such a diaphragm adapted for manual adjustment and requiring no actuating spring.

To these .and other ends the invention resides in .certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will .be hereinafter more "fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims aty the end of the specification.

. In the drawings: Fig. 1 is..a.front` elevation of ...a diaphragm- 2 mechanism embodying thepresent invention and shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail of parts shown in Fig. l, but with the parts in course of movement to open the diaphragm;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the diaphragm in open position;

Fig. 4 is an enlargement of parts shown in Fig. 3 and in the same position;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional elevation on the line Ila-Ila in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, sectional elevation on the line [8a- |811 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of plate means for ad- `justing the diaphragm aperture;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of plate means for fully opening the diaphragm to permit focusing;

Fig. 9 is an elevation of ring means forming part of the mechanism for opening the diaphragm to permit focusing.

Fig. l0 is an elevation of ring means forming part of the mechanism for adjusting the diaphragm aperture;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of some of the dia- Vphragm parts detached from the casing;

Fig. 12 is anelevation of the parts as seen from the right in Fig. l1;

Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the diaphragm leaves associated .with the plate shown in Fig. 8

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 11, but showing the diaphragm leaves adjusted or closed to a desired exposure aperture;

Fig. 15 is a similar View, but showing the da phragm open to permit focusing;

Fig. .16 is ,a rear elevation or the .diaphragm mechanism;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged section on the line 29a--29a in Fig. 16, and

Fig. 18 is a front elevation of the provisions for the diaphragm mechanism on the casing rear Wall.

The invention is embodied in the present instance in association with camera shutter mechanism of the betWeen-the-lens type comprising a motor or master member adapted to be set to position to tension spring actuating means for opening and closing the shutter blades on release bya release member or trigger, as described in my Patent No. 2,480,973, issued September 6, 1949, Shutter and Diaphragm Mechanism for Cameras, of which the present application is a division.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the present embodiment preferably comprises a casing having the usual cylindrical wall (E ig.

5) and a rear partition Wall 35 with the usual flange 3l for supporting rear lens means (not shown) over an exposure opening 38. The diaphragm mechanism is located on the rear wall 36, for which purpose this Wall is formed with a circular recess 93 and a rear wall surface 94 (Fig. 5). Mounted for oscillation in the recess against its rear wall 94 is an annular plate 95 forming part of the means for opening the diaphragm for focusing and hereafter referred to as an actuating means or plate. Oscillating in recess 9d and spaced in front of focusing plate 95, is an annular plate 95 forming part of the means for adjusting the diaphragm to a desired focusing aperture and hereafter also referred to as an actuating means or plate. Plates 95 and 96 are retained in position by the cylindrical wall of the recess and each plate is pivotally connected with a plurality of elongated diaphragm leaves 9i located in the space between the plates. Each of the leaves is formed at one end with a flanged trunnion or pivot 98 for pivotal engagement in one of a plurality of radial slots 99 formed in the actuating plate 95. Each of the l-eaves is provided at its other end with a similar anged pivot which is pivotally engaged in one of a plurality 0f openings |0i in actuating plate 96, so that either of the plates 95 or 96 may be oscillated to open or close the diaphragm with the leaves pivoting on the other plate.

The 4rear wall 36 of the casing is formed diametrically with arcuate slots |02 (Fig. 18) and actuating plate 95 has peripheral lugs |63 extending radially in the slots |02 (Figs. l and 5). Each of these lugs carries a short stud |043 on which is mounted and retained, as by means of a screw |05, a ring |36 hereafter referred to as an actuating member or ring. This ring has inwardly extendinglugs |01 formed with openings |08 for attachment to the studs |04 in slots |02, respectively, and diametrically opposite inner peripheral portions |09 of the ring have oscillating b-earings on a circular rear shoulder ||0 of the casing wall 3S (Fig. 17), for oscillationwith the actuatingplate 95. Ring |06 has a quadrant extension (Figs. and 9) formed at its periphery with a flange ||2 extending forwardly over the cylindrical wall 35 of the casing, for cooperation with parts of the shutter mechanism as described in my said patent. One end of the flange H2 is turned upwardly as at ||3, to serve as a finger piece for oscillating th-e actuating ring and thereby oscillating the actuating plate 95 for opening and closing the diaphragm blades.I

Actuating plate 9E is similarly formed with peripheral lugs H4 (Fig. 7) extending radially in the slots |02 (Figs. l and 6), respectively, each lug being formed with an opening ||5 in which is mounted a stud ||6 carrying a screw ||'i. Mounted on screws ill is a ring H8, hereafter referred to as an actuating member or ring, which has inwardly extending lugs H9 formed with openings |20 for receivingv the screws IH. Ring H8 has opposite, arcuate, inner peripheral portions |8a, which support it for oscillation on the casing shoulder I0, and has a radially projecting arm |2|, the outer end of which is turned forwardly over the cylindrical wall 35 of the casing and pointed, as at |22, to serve as an indicator. Ring |18 has also a diametrically opposite arm |23 extended forwardly across the cylindrical wall 35 of the casing with its end turned radially inwardly over the cover plate and pointed, as at |25, to serve as an indicator, the indicating pointers |22 and |24 being adapted ,for cooperation 4 with indicating scales (not shown) marked on the casing as may be found convenient. The pointer arms |2| and |23 serve as operating means for oscillating ring H0 and its associated plate 96 for opening and closingy the diaphragm leaves to obtain a desired exposure aperture.

It will be apparent from the above described construction that the actuating ring H8 may be rotated to some such position as shown in Figs. 14 and 15 for adjusting the leaves to a desired aperture, ring |06 being positioned by counterclockwise movement to its normal or inactive position. With the leaves thus adjusted to a desired exposure aperture, ring |00 may be rotated clockwise by means of its linger piece i i3 to fully open the leaves to permit focusing, the finger piece ||3 being thus mov-ed adjacent the arm |2| of the ring 8, as shown in Fig. 15. After focusingI adjustment of the camera, finger piece 3 may be moved counter-clockwise from the posi tion shown in Fig. l5 to the position shown in Fig. 14, thereby restoring the diaphragm to the selected aperture previously obtained by adjusting arm The diaphragm may thus be fully Iopen-ed to permit focusing, independently of the aperture setting, but means are preferably provided to limit the opening movement of the ring |06 to prevent it from engaging and moving the ring H8, such means preferably comprising a dog |25 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivotally mounted on the extended forward end of the stud |04 of actuating plate 95.-

The dog has a head portion |26 adapted for engagement in one of a series of notches i2? formed on the inner periphery of a ring |28 secured by screws |29 in a recess in the rear wall 36 of the casing about the diaphragm mechanism. The dog |25 has a tail 30 adapted for sliding engagement with the periphery of the actuating plate 95. A spring |3| coiled about the pivot of the dog bears at one end against a lug |32 `on the tail of the dog and at the other end against an ear |33 on the adjacent lug |03 of the plate 95. The periphery of the actuating plate 9E is formed adjacent its stud I5 with a notch |313 into which the tail of the dog is adapted to drop under actuation by its spring, thereby raising the head portion |26 of the dog into engagement with one of the notches |27 of rack |28 and stopping and locking the plate before contact of its lug |03 with the stud HG of the plate 90. Such means thus prevents excessive movement of the actuating plate 95 far enough to engage and disturb the setting of actuating plate 9S to Whatever position it may have been adjusted.

It is evident from the above description that the invention provides a simple and practical diaphragm mechanism having an adjusting part accessibly and conveniently located on the exterior of the casing for setting the diaphragm to any desired aperture opening. This part is connected to one end of each of the diaphragm leaves and the mechanism comprises a second adjusting part, similarly positioned, and pivotally connected with the other end of each of the leaves for manually adjusting them to fully opened position to permit focusing, after which the diaphragm may be closed or, if preset to a desired aperture, restored to said aperture setting, without reference to scales or like indicating means. Such opening of the diaphragm preliminary to focusing is accomplished manually, so as to obviate the provision of a spring for moving the diaphragm leaves and so that thel mechanismoccupiesa minimum of space withinthe casing.

5. Although sucl'r opening of. the diaphragm to permitfocusingl isu not spring actuated or. tripped automatically by connection with the shutter mechanism, it may be adapted' for interlocking associationwith the-'shutter mechanism, to prevent errors in operation, asdescribed in my said patent. f

It Willy thus beseen that theinvention accomplishes its objects and while it has beenherein disclosed by reference to the details of preferred embodiments, itis to be understood that suchvdisclosure is intended in an illustrative, rather than a'limiting Sense, as it is contemplated that various modications in the construction and arrangement of the parts Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having a diaphragm opening, a plurality of diaphragm leaves for controlling said opening, a plurality of independently movable elements each connected with all of said leaves for moving the same to vary said opening, said elements being movable along a common path into interfering engagement With each other and stop means comprising cooperating parts on said elements and casing for releasably connecting one of said elements with said casing to prevent engagement thereby With the other of said elements in the different adjusted positions of said other element.

2. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having a diaphragm opening and a plurality of diaphragm leaves for controlling said opening, actuating means movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof, a second actuating means movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent the other end thereof, said actuating means having a portion thereof movable in opposite directions in a path common to both for opening and closing said leaves, and stop means comprising a part movably mounted on one of said actuating means for operation by the other of said actuating means to engage said casing and thereby limit the movement of one of said actuating means relative to the other of said actuating means.

l3. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having a diaphragm opening and a plurality of diaphragm leaves for controlling said opening, an actuating member movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof and movable manually in opposite directions to open and close said leaves, a second actuating member movably connected With each of said leaves adjacent the other end thereof and movable manually in opposite directions to open and close said leaves, said members having portions movable in a path common to both thereof, and stop means comprising cooperating parts on said members and casing operable in any adjusted position of one of said members for connecting the other of said members with said casing and stopping the movement of said other member to prevent said other member from engaging and deranging the position of the rst mentioned member.

4. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing, a plurality of diaphragm leaves in said casing, an annular plate means movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof, and movable to open and close said leaves to obtain a desired exposure aperture, a second annular plate means movably connected with each-of. said leavesadjacent the: other end ,nth-ere.;-V

of and freelyy movablei manually", in", opposite dii-n rections. to open and close saidleaveszto permit' focusing adjustmenty ofgsaid; camera saidf casing having an opening. therein,` operating.' and'` indicating means extendingfrom-each ofV said ,plateeY means through said' opening. and movable over the exterior of said'casing, aseries. of. notches oir said casing,.and atoothedfdog; pivoted'on onev of` said plate means, the other of said plate means having. a portionformed to control the pivotal movement of said dog for engaging the same with one of said notches in a predetermined relative position of said plate means.

5. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having an opening through a Wall thereof, a plurality of diaphragm leaves in said casing, an element movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof and having an oscillating movement in said casing to adjust said leaves to a desired exposure aperture, a second element movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent the other end thereof and having an oscillating movement in said casing to open and close said leaves to permit focusing adjustment of said camera, a pair of ring members mounted for oscillation on the exterior of said casing and connected through said casing opening with said elements respectively, said rings being freely movable manually in opposite directions to open and close said leaves and having parts engageable With each other and stop means comprising relatively movable cooperating parts on said elements and casing operable by the relative movement of said elements for releasably connecting one of said elements with said casing to prevent said element from engaging and deranging the position of the other of said elements in .the dierent adjusted positions of said other element.

6. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having an opening in a Wall thereof, a plurality of diaphragm leaves in said casing, an annular plate means movably connected With each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof and mounted for oscillation in said casing to adjust said leaves to a desired exposure opening, a second annular plate means movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent the other end thereof and mounted for oscillating movement in said casing to open and close said leaves to permit focusing adjustment of said camera, a dog pivotally mounted on said second plate means for engagement with the rst mentioned plate means and for locking engagement with said casing, the rst mentioned plate means having a portion formed to control said dog to lock said second plate means in predetermined relation with the first mentioned plate means, and manually operable actuating means for each of said plate means extending through said opening exteriorly of said casing.

7. A camera diaphragm mechanism comprising a casing having an opening in a Wall thereof, a plurality of diaphragm leaves in said casing, an element movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent one end thereof and mounted for oscillation in said casing to adjust said leaves to a desired exposure aperture, a second element movably connected with each of said leaves adjacent the other end thereof and mounted for oscillation in said casing to open and close said leaves to permit focusing adjustment of said camera, a spring actuated dog pivoted on said second element for engagement with the first mentioned element and for locking engagement REFERENCES CITED with said casing, the rst mentioned element having a portion formed for controlling said dog lrr ilsovgalgenrferens are of record in the to lock said second element in predetermined rey lation with said erst mentioned element in dif- 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS ferent adjusted positions thereof, and a pair of Number Name Date rings mounted for oscillation on the exterior of 1,469,763 Snyder e1; a1 Ot. 2, 1923 said casing and connected through Said Opening 2,222,298 Nerwin Nov. 19, 1940 therein with said elements, respectively. 2,271,222 Eagle Jan. 27, 1942 10 2,322,034' Lee June 15, 1943 ALFRED SCHWARZ- 2,340,573 Aiken Feb. 1, 1944 2,341,387 Riddell Feb. 8, 1944 

